I took the 3.5 hour drive from from Canmore to Jasper to visit the Columbia Icefield Discovery Center. It was here where I got a ticket to tour the Athabasca Glacier via their Ice Explorer.
The Ice Explorer is a massive all-terrain vehicle designed specifically for traversing glacial ice. There are 23 Ice Explorers in the entire world and 21 of them are here in Jasper while the other 2 are in Antartica and New Zealand.
The Athabasca Glacier covers a little over 2 square miles but despite its size, the Athabasca Glacier is an impressive sight to behold.
Information on the actual vertical thickness of the ice varies depending on source but per Wikipedia the glacial ice is roughly 300-980 ft thick. Given that it seems safe enough to drive/walk through, guides mentioned that the glacier is losing about 16 feet per year due to climate change.
If you do visit the Athabasca Glacier, make sure to follow the signs telling you where it's safe to walk. Glacial Crevasses are deep, unstable cracks in a glacier. Per Wikipedia and the antarticglaciers.org websites:
"The presence of water in a crevasse can significantly increase its penetration. Falling into glacial crevasses can be dangerous and life-threatening. Hypothermia is often a cause of death when falling into a crevasse."
"In temperate valley glaciers, crevasses are frequently no more than 20-30m deep. Crevasses may be deeper in cold, stiff glaciers. Water can create extra pressure, making crevasses deeper when they are water-filled."
Adhere to the marked areas (yellow and red signs) where it's unsafe to cross over. Unless you are certain of what you're doing, don't be stupid and attempt to cheat death.
Lastly some websites and vloggers may state that it's safe to drink glacier water. Don't do it. Glacier water is not a pure source. It's comprised of Rock Flour. Rock flour per the National Snow and Ice Data center is:
"A fine powder of silt- and clay-sized particles that a glacier creates as its rock-laden ice scrapes over bedrock."
It's uncertain how long we will have the Athabasca glacier given that half of its volume was lost in the last 125 years. Awareness and reduction of further erosion is crucial to preserve the continuity of this precious landscape.
If you are able to make the trek out to Jasper, enjoy and appreciate the beauty of this glacier while it still exists. It's one of the rare gems this world has to offer. read more